HIGH COST OF LOSING

49ERS: Many needs to fill for team facing a long wait for 1st round pick

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, April 20, 2008

In one sense, the 49ers have already made their first selection in the 2008 NFL draft. They did it a year ago.

San Francisco gained an additional pick in the first round in 2007, 28th overall, by sending its No. 1 selection in this year's draft, seventh overall, to New England. The 49ers ended up with a winner in Joe Staley, who started every game as a rookie at right tackle and will move to left tackle this season.

The 49ers got back in the first round this year in a trade with the Colts a year ago and will pick 29th on Saturday. The club has six picks in all through seven rounds, including four in the top 107 selections.

"So much stuff can happen in front of you," McCloughan said, referring to his team's position in Round One. "There'll be a good player at 29, I assure you. You'll be surprised how many good ones are there from 26 to 32. When we pick in every round, there'll be a player on the board who will be a good NFL player. It's our job to find them."

The 49ers' needs, roughly in order of importance, are offensive line, defensive line, wide receiver and cornerback. McCloughan said the club will tab the best player on the board for its first two picks, at 29 in the first round and at 39 overall in the second round. After that, specific needs come more into play.

Of Hardy and Cherilus, McCloughan offered the same analysis: "He'd be a good pick."

Sweed seems out of the question for the first round and although the 49ers covet Groves for his speed and versatility, they are unlikely to spend their first-round pick on him. If Groves is available when San Francisco picks eighth in the second round, 39th overall, he could be the choice.

"In college he played defensive end," McCloughan said. "In our system he'd have a chance to be an outside pass rusher. He can really run. If we're lucky enough to draft a guy like him, he'd play opposite Manny (Lawson)."

Lawson, returning from a knee injury that knocked him out early in 2007, plays the outside linebacker spot on the strong side, over the tight end. Paired with tackling machine Patrick Willis at inside linebacker, Lawson greatly upgrades San Francisco's defense.

With Staley moving to the left side this season, the 49ers are looking for a replacement at right tackle, especially if Jonas Jennings balks at moving to that side or does not pan out.

Offensive tackles are not sexy picks to the general public but they are essential to a team, which is why the 49ers might go that way in the first two rounds.

Even with the free agent acquisitions of Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson, the 49ers have a pronounced need for a young wide receiver, whether the choice comes in the first round or later. Hardy makes sense early and someone like local favorite Lavelle Hawkins of Cal could be available in the third round.